I Always Knew
by worldofmyownxx
Summary: One Direction Slash. Liam was married with a child. One day devestation happens upon the family. Can one friend's comfort lead to something Liam has always wanted?


Liam had always harboured feelings for Niall, though he never acted on them, never told anyone. Especially not Niall.

He wished he had confessed, then maybe he wouldn't be married to someone he didn t really love. Danielle. He loved Danielle, he really did, but he wasn t in love with her and that was a huge difference. He was in love with Niall. His best friend and his best man at his wedding. Liam had thought about telling Danielle, but every time he came to do it, he couldn't. She was perfect. Just not perfect for him.

Liam and Danielle met when they were both working in Starbucks to earn some extra cash. Liam was at University and Danielle was studying at a dance academy. The other boys were friends of Liam s from school, they were best friends and nothing could split them up. Liam and Danielle hit it off straight away and soon became a couple. Although Liam liked Danielle, he wasn t sure if he liked her enough, but couldn t find it in his heart to break up with her. Over time, Liam began to see Niall in a different light. The way he smiled, the way he laughed for ages at the slightest things just made Liam s affection for the Irishman grow. He soon knew that he liked Niall as more than a friend, but he still didn t break it off with Danielle. Niall would never have him anyway.

Liam didn t even think Niall was gay. Then one day:

~Flashback~

"I have something to tell everyone and I would like you all to just be quiet until I've finished ok?" Niall said; as he sat everyone down to tell them some news. All the lads looked at Niall in wonder of what he was going to say.  
"I'm gay" Niall quickly said and looked at his lap, waiting for any sort of comment.  
"Ok" Harry said and went back to what he was reading. Zayn and Louis went back to watching T.V.

"Is that it?" Niall asked.  
"Is that what?" Louis asked, not taking his eyes off the television.  
"That! I tell you I m gay and all you can say is ok!" Niall exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.  
"Well, we sort of guessed...you're not exactly bringing women home are you?" Harry explained.  
"Well I wasn't bringing men home!" As the four boys were in heated discussion, Liam got up and walked out of the room. He couldn't listen to this. Niall had confessed he was gay, but Liam was with Danielle. This was too complicated. He couldn t break Danielle's heart, not now that they d been together two years, she thought Liam was the man she was going to marry, and she'd be right.

However, Liam loved Niall, and now that Niall had come out, he might be in with a chance...if he wasn't with Danielle.

~End of Flashback~

Liam was happy with Danielle. They had a lovely home and both worked good jobs, but there was one thing missing for Danielle. A family of their own. Liam would do anything to make Danielle happy and if she wanted a child, then he would give her a child, even if that meant he could never have hope with Niall.

So, a year later, Danielle was pregnant and everyone was chuffed to bits for the birth of baby Payne. Liam couldn t wait to be a dad, maybe it would take his mind off wanting to be with Niall.

Baby Lilly Karen Payne was born on the 21st September 2006. Big brown eyes and Danielle's curly brown hair, she was gorgeous and had everyone smitten. The Payne family spent many a happy year doing normal family stuff; going to the beach when it was nice weather, going to the cinema, the park and sometimes the zoo as well as family holidays. They spent a lot of time together and would always, if their schedules allowed, go to either Danielle s parents or Liam s parents house for Sunday lunch.

In all the excitement of family holidays and trips to the cinema, symptoms of Danielle's illness went somewhat unnoticed, until one day Liam begged her to go the doctor. Tests were done and results came back until finally a conclusion was drawn. Danielle had cancer. And it was terminal.

In the fourth year of Lilly's life, Danielle lost her battle and passed away on the 23rd August 2010. Liam, the boys, and especially Lilly, were devastated. Liam loved his wife; she was the mother of his child, the person Lilly was supposed to grow up to idolise. How could he do this on his own?

~Flashback~

"Bye mummy" Lilly silently sobbed as she placed a flower and a small letter on top of the upturned soil. Liam held her hand as she wept into his side. She was only four years old, but she knew exactly what was going on, her mother wasn't coming back.  
"Everything will be ok, sweetheart. Don't you worry, Daddy will make sure you hear lots of lovely stories and nice things people had to say about your mum" Liam bent down to her height.

"You're just like her you know?" Liam said, pushing the hair out of her face. She was wonderful, best person in the world. Liam pulled his daughter into a hug and then let her go and ushered her over to where Louis was waiting a little distance away. He turned to the grave.  
"Goodbye Danielle. I will always love you. There was something I really needed to tell you in all the years we were together.." Liam was going to tell her about Niall. It wasn t that he wanted to wait until she was out of the picture and then make a move on Niall, it wasn t like that, and he just couldn t find the words when she was alive. "I've been meaning to tell you for such a long time, but I couldn t find the right words. I'm in love with someone else, and that person is Niall. As in Niall Niall. Our Niall. The best man at our wedding, Niall. I m so, so sorry I didn't tell you, but I'm telling you now and I really hope you'll forgive me. One more thing, I do love Niall, yes, but I love you as well and I always will some way or another. Bye baby. I love you." Liam laid a bunch of roses over the grave and stood up, his tear filled eyes threatening to spill. Louis was waiting by the gate of the graveyard with Lilly and rest of the boys. Liam walked over and the boys pulled Lilly and Liam into a group hug. We ll help you through this, you know? Harry said. Anything you need, just ask Thanks Liam said with a grateful smile. He lifted his daughter into his arms and the six of them made their way home.

~End of Flashback~


End file.
